5 Ways to Manage the Risk of Cloud Computing

Posted on: February 14, 2014

Cloud computing allows businesses to give access to select or all employees to the cloud. It is a network or computer system where employees with access are able to submit or capture data and other information from any remote location. Cloud computing is ideal for employees who work from home or travel for business often, and proves to be highly beneficial for many businesses. It can help keep the network organized, use less servers and save money. But there are also some risks, which must be managed. Following are 5 ways businesses can help to mitigate the risks of cloud computing.

1)Limit Access to the Cloud

Not everyone in your company will need to have access to all cloud applications, so ensure your IT department knows who to allow access to and to what applications. For a clear-cut example, your payroll employees will have access to payment and financial information, but your delivery drivers don’t need to. Have a list of employees and exactly where in the network cloud they can have access. This prevents unauthorized transactions from occurring and the theft of confidential information.

2)Improved Data Security

A common cloud computing risk is outsiders getting into the network. Implement measures to improve the security of your data, especially for traveling employees. Ask employees to only access data from certain locations and never to use free public Wi-Fi spots to access cloud data. Facilities like hotels and restaurants don’t always have Wi-Fi security, which means anyone can access sensitive data.

3)Know Your Employees

If all of your employees use cloud computing on a regular basis, take the extra time to run background checks and see if they have any negative marks on their work history. Check their professional and personal references. If they have utilized the cloud at a previous job, always ask a reference if there were any issues.

4)Be Careful With Downloads

Employees should always know what they can and cannot access while utilizing the cloud. If employees use their own mobile device or laptop for accessing the cloud, set rules and guidelines for websites they can visit or what they can download. With some systems, these downloads can cause malware or spyware that allows hackers to get into the cloud system.

5)Make it Legal

Lastly, have your employees sign an agreement listing the rules of using cloud computing and that they understand what is not allowed. If there is a data breach, the document should state the consequences of the breach. This makes employees more vigilant when using the cloud.

While you do have risks with using cloud computing, these tips can help you manage and mitigate them. Always have proper business insurance just in case something happens in your cloud network.